Saturday, October 1, 2016

I've been contemplating using d6 in the place of d10s for the storyteller system.
The general consensus when brought up around storyteller player is 'just don't'. But I'm kind of stubborn so I'm exploring it.

So rather that 8+ on a d10 success is a 5+ on a d6. Which is somewhat close but not the same. Each step on a d6 is 16.67%. while a d10 is 10% each step.

The rules that this change effects the most is 10 again, 9 again, and 8 again.
10 again would have to go away, which I'm ok with. 9 again would be best to become 6 again also as, as making it 5 again would be too high an advantage. 8 again would be best to become 5 again.

I'm sure there will be times this fast and loose conversion will not work out perfectly. But I think for my liking it would work just fine.

Agent Andrews is made up of 3 individual forms who are psychicly linked and form a single individual. If any one form sees you or knows your whereabouts, just assume all three do as well.

Agent Andrews nickname came as a joke, even though there are three of him other agents joke the only way to kill Andrews is to kill him four times.

(Though agent Andrews is a wild card each for has only a single wound. If two forms are killed only the final form has the incapacitated condition. In the time others would heal agent Andrews other forms will reappear as if they were never harmed.)

Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8,

Strength d6, Vigor d8

Driving d6, Fighting d8, Intimidation d8,

Notice d8, Piloting d8, Persuasion d6.

Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 6,

Agent Andrews carries a service pistol, and has access to other equipment as needed as a maelstrom agent.

Pit Fiends are a blight. They destroy and build breeding pits in the ashes. Each pit can produce 3-5 new Fiends.
Each new Fiend will then move on and destroy and build a pit of its own. Pits are formed from death and destruction, equal parts ash and remains of the fiends many victims.

Pit fiends stand around 7' tall and weigh about 500lbs.
Average wingspan is 6' across.
Before ever seeing a fiend the smell of sulfer and ash is always present. The same can be said about a breeding pit with the added smell of putrid flesh.

Friday, September 30, 2016

From the launch of 5th I hoped a modern version of the rules would be released.

What ultramodern5 offers is so much more than just converted and reskined
D&D races, classes, and backgrounds.

The meat and potatoes of this product is the character build options, so I'll mostly be focused on that. I think anyone looking for a review will be wanting more details on those options.

There is a section for equipment, adventuring, and antagonists. There is also adventures included at the end of the product and even sample chapters.

Characters in Ultramodern5 are comprised of Race, Lifepath, Ladders, and Classes. This is why I find Ultramodern5 so special, it's sheer number of character options.

While everyone is assumed human there is still a system for benefits and shortcomings to add some diversity from character to character.

Lifepaths are a reworking of backgrounds, to include a way of life and social standings.

There are 11 backgrounds to choose from.

Ladders are how a character lives it's life. They are optional abilities characters can gain in the place of magic or other powers for non- fantasy settings. Any ladder can be mixed with any class. There are 7 total ladders. The ladders are born leader, juggernaut, runner, savant, survivor, veteran, and warrior.

Classes are about what you would expect, there are 10 classes. They are Face, Grounder, Gunslinger, Heavy, Infiltrator, Marshal, Martial artist, Medic, Sniper, and Techi.

Classes are then again defined further with 24 archetypes. Archetypes are not tied to specific class, if a character meets all the requirements they can take the archetype. The archetypes are anti-hero, authority, banner head, brawler, brother of blood, cleaner, country gunman, diplomat, driver, field machinist, field medic, grandmaster, gun dancer, infantry support specialist, machine of war, man at arms, militarist, pathfinder, pistolero, recon intelligence, ring fighter, sapper, selfless protector, skirmisher, and suave.

The sheer number of combinations is brilliant. For two players to end up with exactly the same character it has to be on purpose.

While I'm at it I would like to address a criticism I've seen for UM5. That some weapons, specifically guns don't do enough damage. I want to chime in here.

How UM5 handles guns is that training is what makes guns dangerous. Anyone can fire a sniper rifle, a trained sniper is always deadly with a good rifle. Not just do I appreciate this and find it to my taste I feel it's right for a class based system. Also it's right for a game based on D&D, anyone can use a dagger, but a rogue with a dagger is deadly. Class abilities build on core damage.

If you wish to pick up a copy of Ultramodern5 you can pick it up here. I was not in anyway compensated or approached to review this product. I'm not even an rpgnow.com affiliate. Just for the record.

The year is 2105, humanity has advanced in technology and all areas of science. Mankind moved off world spreading out to the stars. But there are those that still live in the old world. Those without the credits or connections to move on to the utopian colonies.

For those in the city state of Seattle (Mega city 8) life is fast and cheap, cutting edge technology rubs shoulders with tribes of neo-savages and urban sprawl.

When a crime is committed that the Seattle PD can't handle or the Burroughs private security get in over their heads they call on the men and women of the Special Crimes Division, this is their stories.